Everlasting Darkness
by Insane Anarchist-aka Allie
Summary: The Decepticons have all but destroyed the Autobots...will one girl's determination be enough to save her family? And will her love and compassion be enough to break through a mind ravaged by abuse? Post movie. Rated M for themes in later chapters.
1. Old Friends, New Alliances

_**Everlasting Darkness-Chapter One**_

Content. It was such a foreign word to Rachel Simmons, considering her position. Her father had lost his government job. Rachel had decided he was schizophrenic from his anger, because he would mutter all the time, and it sounded like an argument. She had taken what little solace she could in a giant robot, and she thought she might be crazy.

Rachel's heart was in the right place, but her life was just terrible. Her father came in at four in the morning, and all his banging around would wake her up in the night. Her heart would pound, and she'd rush to lock her door in fear. Nothing ever happened, and, in the morning, she would escape to see her friend.

Rachel dashed through the trees, making her way to the clearing. He wouldn't be there yet, but she knew her father wouldn't follow her. He had almost hit her when he came in, and she fled. She sat heavily on a tree stump, and tilted her head back. The once-starry sky was now covered in smog and ashes, a painful reminder of the way human life was now.

It had been two years since the Decepticons had taken over, and the Autobots had been forced into hiding. She knew her father had been able to keep his house by divulging the location of the Autobots' base to the Decepticons, if only in a last-ditch effort to protect himself. He hadn't been thinking about his daughter when he had betrayed the human race.

Rachel knew her friend was an estranged Decepticon, but she didn't care. As long as he didn't let his temper-and mental state-get the best of him, he was a true friend. She sometimes wondered if it was only his mental state that gave him motivation to be her friend, but she didn't like to think about that.

He had spent too much time in space, alone, then had gone back to his planet. He was obviously out of his mind, and therefore was estranged.

The sound of a jet's turbines reached her ears, and she looked up. The F-22 circled once, then landed. Rachel smiled when he transformed, and walked over to her.

"You shouldn't b-be out right noww," he told her. His damaged vocal processor crackled as he spoke.

"I know. But...he almost hit me. I couldn't help it." Rachel patted his leg comfortingly, and he settled next to her. His red optics looked her over, and she felt disconcerted-his left optic was shattered beyond repair, marring him for life. A faint glow emitted from it, a shocking contrast from his other burning, ruby red optic.

"He shhhouldn't do th-that." He sounded very angry.

Rachel frantically shook her head. "He's just a schizophrenic. He has no idea what he's doing. He wouldn't notice if _I_ hit _him_, even. Don't get yourself worked up, Starscream."

"I c-can't help it. He shouldn't hhit you, Ray." His optics turned in the direction of the house.

Rachel's temper flared at his stubbornness. "Well, we could always leave," she reminded him.

"Nno. The only r-reason you want tooo leave is to f-find Autobotss."

"Well, they can help!" she shouted. "They can't do anything without an aboveground ally, though! With their help...it just might be possible to coordinate an effective resistance." Her eyes sparkled, and her mind ran ahead to a world without Decepticon control.

"Th-there aren'tt enough Autobotss to defeat the D-Decepticonss," Starscream told her blatantly.

"Doesn't matter," Rachel countered. "_Blitzkrieg_...also known as _Lightning War_. Strike hard, fast, and suddenly. Don't give your enemy time to coordinate an effective defense. Toss in guerrilla tactics...surprise attacks, ambushes, and there's a chance. Decepticons are straightforward fighters, for the most part, and the only real deviation is ambushes. Boost the motion trackers though...and it's possible to defeat them."

"You b-bring upp an interessting point, Rayy," Starscream relented.

Rachel smiled grimly. "You know this means allying ourselves with the Autobots, right?" she asked.

The estranged Decepticon nodded. "And you knnow thiss makes yyou a target?"

"Yes, I do. But I'm already a target. It's be nice to be a target who has big friends who can scare the bejesus out of a Decepticon by aiming at them." She glared angrily when Starscream's optics flashed. "Puh-leze, you can handle me mentioning them. And you know your cannons are offline."

He remained silent.

"So...are we going or not?" she asked, standing up.

"Yyou're going?" he asked.

"Yes. Let me get some stuff together, and I'll meet you here," Rachel told him.

"No," he replied firmly. "I willl meet y-you at your housse."

Rachel shrugged, and walked back. She was conscious of Starscream following her in robot mode, and made herself not comment on it. If a Decepticon were to come upon him... She shuddered to think of what would happen.

They made it to her house, and he sat down to wait. She dashed up the stairs, ignoring her father passed out in the hallway. Her room was a mess. Then again, so was the whole house. She hunted around for a little, finally finding a usable duffel. She stuffed it full of any clothes that weren't stained beyond recognition, or torn to shreds. Rachel had salvaged a hairbrush, and she hurriedly picked that up as well.

After finishing, she ran back down the stairs, bumping into her father. _Oh crap...he's gonna kill me_, she thought.

"Wha're ya doin' with tha bagg?" he asked, slurring his words terribly.

"I wanted to see if there were any washing machines I could find. I don't have any clean clothes." The lie came too easily to her lips.

"Ohh...ya won' find any washhhhing machhhiness anywheh," he replied hazily.

"I can hope." Rachel made for the door, and was almost there before he grabbed her arm roughly.

"I'm nah done wih yeh yet!" he growled.

She tried to jerk her arm free, but failed miserably. "Let me go!"

"Neh...git ovuh here." He began pulling her to the sofa. Her heart skipped a beat.

"No! Let go of me!" she screamed. Simmons ignored her, and continued pulling with surprising strength. He threw her down onto the sofa, and lowered himself onto her. Rachel sobbed in fear as his hands fumbled with her shirt.

"Starscream!" she cried. Her voice broke off, cracking from the intensity of the scream.

"Shaddup," her father ordered. She thrashed beneath him, slapping anywhere she could. He punched her in the face, and pulled a dirt-encrusted rope from his pocket. He tightly bound her hands, forcing them behind her back.

Rachel screamed for the ex-Decepticon again.

There was a loud _crash _above them, and bits of plaster and wood fell onto them. Simmons was suddenly yanked up, and she slid to the floor. She looked up, and saw Starscream holding him up by the collar of his shirt. His optics burned with hatred. The left was considerably dimmer, but brighter than she'd ever seen before.

Rachel screamed a third time. A large piece of the roof fell down, and hit her. She blacked out. Starscream let out a cry, and tossed Simmons away. He picked up his friend, and cradled her to his chest protectively. He transformed, settling Rachel in his cockpit as he did so. He flew off, unsure of where he was going. He just knew he wanted her to be safe.

* * *

Rachel's first conscious thought was that she was dead. She then realized she was moving, and therefore couldn't be dead. She groggily opened her eyes, and saw the cockpit of an F-22. 

Starscream had saved her.

She smiled at the thought, and leaned back in the seat. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I don't want to think about what would've happened if you hadn't been there."

"It'ss alright. Y-you're with me now." He paused, and she sensed the indecision. "W-will we beee going to find the Autobotsss now?" he asked.

"Yes. Where else can we go? We don't even know if any humans are still living." Her heart suddenly leapt in her chest. "Oh God...I could be the last human alive. S-Starscream? Did you...kill...my father?" she asked quietly.

"I donn't know. I d-didn't loook," he replied. "Mmaybe."

Rachel was silent, contemplating this. She realized the implications of being the last human: as soon as she died, the Decepticons had won. They had accomplished what they set out to do. Her heart skipped a beat at this thought. It was unacceptable that the human race be eradicated. She couldn't let this happen...but how to stop it? The ideas that swirled around in her head were sickening, and she forced them out.

Starscream suddenly veered to the right, into a steep nose-dive.

"Starscream? Everything ok?" Rachel asked, concerned.

"Yess. I just s-saw an Autobot," he replied.

"Yes!" she cheered. "Can you open a comm link to them?" she asked, feeling her heart speed up.

"Mayybe...I donn't know." Static filled the cockpit. Starscream muttered something, then said, "Okayy, talk."

Rachel took a deep breath, steeling herself. "We aren't going to harm you, I promise. We're here to help, I promise. I have an idea of how to defeat the Decepticons...I need to talk to Optimus Prime!" Her voice rose dangerously.

"I'd l-let her," Starscream interjected.

"Starscream?" The voice crackled through the speakers.

"And a friend. Who's this?" Rachel demanded.

"...Bumblebee."

"Ok. Bumblebee, you have to trust me...trust us."

"Why?" he asked sharply.

"'Bee...you don't recognize my voice?" she asked quietly.

"No, I... Holy Primus! Rachel Simmons!" he yelped.

"Thank you."

"Still in this for the loosing side, I see," he said bitterly.

"Maybe not the loosing side forever." Her heart pounded at his words. His changed attitude really showed what this war had done. Gone was the fun-loving Bumblebee who could make anyone laugh. He didn't laugh anymore, and was a battle-hardened warrior.

He chose not to reply to her comment. "Starscream, you can land if you want," he told the Seeker. Starscream carefully landed, and Rachel clambered out. She dropped to the ground, breaking her fall with a roll.

Starscream transformed, and warily eyed the Autobot in front of him. Rachel looked him over, though as a friend would. She noted all the dents and scrapes he bore, and the other numerous small injuries he retained. "'Bee...why are you covered in dents?" she asked.

Bumblebee shrugged. "You tend to ignore the small things when Ratchet needs to work on a dying mech," he said emotionlessly.

"Yes, but too many 'small things' can make one big thing.

"Now, on to business. I have a good idea for how to defeat the Decepticons, but I need to tell Optimus and the others. Can you lead us back to the base?" Rachel sighed, hating every minute of this. Granted, she was ecstatic to see her friend again, but she wanted congenial conversation. Starscream wasn't really a conversationalist, as he hated his vocal processor.

"...I suppose. It's not really my place to let Starscream in...but I don't really have a choice in the matter," Bumblebee relented. Rachel walked over to him, and patted his leg.

"Thanks, 'Bee."

He nodded, and transformed into an equally battered Camaro. "Just follow me," he ordered. Rachel went back over to Starscream, and climbed into his waiting hand. The Seeker transformed, and flew off after the retreating form of the Camaro.

"H-he doessn't like me," he commented dryly.

"'Bee's been through a lot...give him time." Rachel stared at the ash-filled sky, and tried to keep her mind off the situation at hand. She didn't know what horrors awaited her at the Autobots' base... Bumblebee could do some repairs, but what about those who couldn't? Those who decided against going to see Ratchet, and kept away from the medic. She knew that if he was busy in a life-or-death situation, nobody would be especially eager to send a mech to see him.

Her train of thought stopped as she felt Starscream land. She climbed out, using the same method as before. Bumblebee stood in front of them, and motioned them on. The odd group made their way through a dense forest, finally reaching a rocky outcropping. The yellow mech pushed a large boulder out of the way, revealing a thick metal door. He keyed in an immensely long entry code, and the door slid open.

The base looked fairly ordinary, all things considered. Perhaps there was less of a sheen, less of a comforting feel, but Rachel pushed those ideas away. They passed the rec room, and she averted her eyes from the once-filled-with-life room. She was dragging behind, and Starscream put her on his shoulder. Rachel leaned onto his head, and shut her eyes.

* * *

Bumblebee's voice woke her up. "Here...we're at Optimus's office." He keyed in another entry code, and gestured for them to go in. He followed, shutting the door. Rachel looked at the Autobot leader, and saw that he too bore damage. Even more than Bumblebee, she figured. 

Optimus looked up from what he was doing, and surveyed the three.

"Optimus, Rachel says she has an idea for defeating the Decepticons," Bumblebee said quietly.

"Indeed? I would be glad to hear it." His voice was weary. "And it's very good to see you again, Rachel." His tone became instantly warm; the voice she remembered from six years ago.

Rachel gently tapped Starscream's head, and he set her on the desk. "Optimus, my idea is to use both Blitzkrieg and guerrilla tactics. The Decepticons are straightforward, with the exception of occasional ambushes. They won't expect an old tactic like Blitzkrieg. It's where you strike suddenly, and don't give your enemy time to coordinate an effective defense," she explained.

"It's a good idea. I'm willing to try anything, at this point." The weariness was back in his voice. He nodded at Starscream. "Starscream. I welcome your presence... Perhaps you should go see Ratchet," he suggested. Starscream nodded, and left. He glanced at Rachel, who nodded. All three others in the room knew he understood that the ex-Decepticon Seeker was here to help.

Optimus turned his attention to the human girl sitting cross-legged on his desk. "And Rachel...maybe you should make your rounds," he said gently. Before the Decepticons took over, Rachel would make up excuses to stay at the Autobots' base. Every morning when she woke up, she would go around the base, and find out how everyone was. She cared deeply about her friends. She had developed a good knowledge of their body language when they weren't fine, and they couldn't lie to her about how they were.

Rachel nodded, and Bumblebee picked her up. Before he was even out of the room, she asked, "'Bee…what's happened to you? To everyone?"

He sighed. "I know you'd ask that…I just wish you hadn't asked me. The Decepticons destroyed us…they arrived before more Autobots could. They crushed us, with both superior firepower and greater numbers. We had no choice but to hide. We barely managed to survive…"

"That's horrible…" she whispered.

"Don't trouble yourself over it. You had a good idea, from what I could gather, and you can't undo the past," he told her gently.

"Don't patronize me! I'm almost seventeen years old. I could've done more…could've stopped my father from telling where the base was… Crap!" she yelled. Bumblebee's optics flashed.

"Your father told?' he spat disgustedly. Rachel nodded miserably, turning her head. "He told…which is how we kept our house." She laughed bitterly. "I don't want to know where he got the alcohol."

"He was an alcoholic?" Bumblebee asked, shocked.

"Yes…after the Decepticons took over."

The yellow mech stroked her back as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm so afraid, 'Bee. Afraid that my father isn't dead, afraid that the human race will die out…afraid that you all might…die," she whispered. The tears spilled out her eyes. "My entire world came crashing down two years ago…now I'm worried it'll do it again."

By now they had reached the rec room.

Bumblebee held her close to his spark, showing emotions he hadn't shown in two years. "Shhh…it's alright, Rachel. Everything'll be alright," he whispered. She sniffed, and wiped her tears.

"Maybe. 'Bee? Will you do me a favor? Go check on Starscream for me…he's really not a bad mech…you don't know what he's been through. Physical and mental abuse, estrangement…the works." Rachel looked hopefully up at the yellow bot, who nodded.

"You'll be fine here by yourself?" he asked, setting her on the floor.

"Yes. Go on," she replied. Bumblebee walked off, and she slipped inside the rec room. Sunstreaker was slumped on a couch, conspicuously alone, and her heart skipped a beat. She averted her eyes, and looked over to the rest of the room. Bluestreak, Prowl, and Wheeljack sat at a table, talking quietly.

Other than that, the room was empty.

Rachel made her way over to the table, and tapped Bluestreak's leg. He jumped, and looked down. A smile broke out onto his face, and he picked her up, setting her on the table.

"Hi Ray!" he said brightly.

"Hey Blue."

"Rachel," Prowl said, by way of greeting.

"You're always too formal, Prowler," she retorted.

"Come to help, Ray?" Wheeljack asked congenially.

"I take it the explosions haven't stopped?" She chuckled quietly.

Bluestreak lifted her to his face. "Ray, I think you should go talk to Sunny," he said gently. She nodded, understanding. A quick glance over her shoulder let her know the others agreed with this. The gunner set her on the floor, and she walked over to the yellow Lamborghini.

"Sunny?' she called, just loud enough for him to hear. He visibly flinched, and searched for the source of the quiet call. When he spotted Rachel, his facial expression softened a little. H reached his hand down, and she climbed in.

His optics were dim, and she placed a gentle hand on his head after she'd been set on his shoulder.

"Sides is gone," he whispered. Rachel choked audibly, and stared at him. The usually vain mech was just as scuffed up as everyone else, which he usually wouldn't be able to stand.

"He went out on a mission and…" Energon tears formed in his optics, and he angrily brushed them away.

"Oh no… God…that's just terrible…" she said, just as quietly.

"Stop it!" he exploded. "Just stop…I don't need this."

Three sets of optics turned to look at him.

"Sunny…we're all here for you," Bluestreak said gently.

"Shut up! Why does everyone act like I need all this sympathy?" he roared, anger building. Rachel scrambled off his arm, landing on the couch

"Sunstreaker, Bluestreak is right. You don't need to keep things from us," Prowl said calmly.

More Energon tears formed, and he desperately tried to wipe them away.

"Sunny, please. You're just hurting yourself…" Wheeljack began.

"No! What about everyone else who lost someone they cared about? Bumblebee lost Sam and Mikaela! I don't see everyone ganging up on _him_ with sympathy!" he yelled. "Optimus has suffered the worst! He's had to lose his two best human friends, and before them Jazz! What about Ironhide? Or Hound? Mirage? He's dealt with them! Yet we're not all crowding around him, oozing sympathy!"

"Sunstreaker, you need to calm down," Prowl told him gently. "Bumblebee and Optimus have showed their feelings, and come to us for solace even. But you distance yourself from everyone, and make yourself more miserable. I understand that you miss Sideswipe. But you need to open up a little. We can't afford to be fighting amongst ourselves…"

Sunstreaker's hands shook, in rage and sadness.

Rachel sat down, and looked up at the golden yellow mech. "Sunny…if you won't talk to them, at least talk to me," she pleaded. He looked down at her, indecision written all over his face. He finally scooped her up, and quickly went back to his quarters. His half of the room was normal, but the other half seemed terribly empty.

Sunstreaker plopped down on the bed, lying on his stomach. Rachel settled in front of him, and looked into his tortured optics. "Sunny…why won't you talk to the others?"

"They never cared. Not like you or Sides," he said harshly.

"That's not true. If they didn't care, they wouldn't bother trying again and again to comfort you.

"I-I really hate what I'm about to say next, it's so low but…what would Sideswipe want you to do?" she asked reluctantly.

Sunstreaker glared at her. "Don't ask me that," he said darkly.

"I'm sorry, but I do want to know."

"I'm not answering you."

Rachel reached out, and touched his cheek gently. "I think I know…he'd want you to do anything to be happy again. He wouldn't want to see you tortured like this."

"Shut up! I just…go away."

"Sunstreaker, please-"

"No! Get out of this room!" he shouted. Rachel scrambled away. She slipped away, into a storage room. There she sat down on a crate, and put her hands together. "Sides…why? Why'd you go?

"All of you who died….why? Why torture the Autobots like that?" She broke off, and hugged herself. Sunstreaker had closed himself off to her, and they had always been such close friends. She was one of the very few people with whom he was truly comfortable with.

The door opened, but she didn't hear it.

"Ray? Ray, I'm sorry."

"S-Sunny?" she asked hopefully. The mech turned to her, and gently picked her up.

"I'm so sorry…I just… I really miss him," he said quietly.

"It's alright. I just wish you'd talk to the others. They can help too, you know," she said, gently scolding.

"Well…maybe I will. But it's so strange, 'cause I never got close to them before. I don't know why they'd want to help me. I'm not the most social mech out there." He sighed, and his vocal processors crackled. Rachel gave him a strange look, but he chose to ignore it.

"Let's go back to the rec room…"

"No. Not yet."

"Well…can we go to the medbay then?" she asked sweetly.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because I want to relieve 'Bee from talking to Starscream. He can be…difficult sometimes. …Oh crap."

"Starscream? Why's that slaghead here?" he growled.

"For your information, he saved me from…" She choked over the word, before repeating it, very softly. "Rape…"

Sunstreaker's optics glowed a bright, pale blue. "I'll kill the slagger who tried to do that to you!"

"He might already be dead. Starscream doesn't know if he died."

"Who was it?"

Rachel looked away, and tears formed in her eyes. "I-I'd rather not say," she whispered.

Sunstreaker gently picked her up, and held her close. "Ok."

She snuggled against him, curling up. She hadn't realized how tired she really was. The golden yellow mech's surprisingly warm hand closed comfortingly around her, and she sighed. _Thank you for being my brother, Sunny_.

* * *

**_Ummmm...please don't kill me? I know that I've killed a lot of characters but...bear with me, and keep reading. Also, I know that Starscream's dialogue doesn't show his mental state, but it actually just comes up in sudden, powerful bouts. Like I said, bear with me. R&R...it makes me want to get chapters out faster!_**


	2. Life and Death

_**Everlasting Darkness-Chapter Two**_

Rachel felt a nudge in her side, and batted the hand away. She heard a chuckle, and opened her eyes in fear. "Sunny!" she yelped. Her chest was heaving: she had been expecting her father.

"What's wrong?" He lifted her to his shoulder.

"N-nothing." She smiled up at him. "Let's go to the medbay"

Sunstreaker shook his head. "You are still the only person I've ever met that asks to go there." He walked off, passing Bumblebee on the way. The smaller mech noticed the calm expression on his face, and smiled. _Good job, Ray_, he thought.

The medbay was almost empty, save Ratchet working diligently on Starscream's vocal processors.

"Hello Rachel. Do you know what happened to his vocal processors?" Ratchet asked, pointedly ignoring Sunstreaker.

"No. He wouldn't tell me." She waved to her friend. "How're you feeling?" she asked.

"Nno better th-than befffore," he replied.

Rachel shot a look to the medicalbot.

"Starscream, I told you. The only damage you have that you'll let me repair are your vocal processors. Yet you won't tell me what's wrong so I can fix them." Ratchet was getting annoyed with the ex-Decepticon Seeker.

"Ratch', don't get your transistors in a knot," Sunstreaker threw in. "He'll tell when he's ready." He nodded to Starscream, who looked back with skeptical optics.

"Don't tell me what to do," the medicalbot growled.

Rachel sighed, and plopped down onto the golden yellow mech's shoulder as an argument broke out. When Sunstreaker put his hand down on the medical bed for emphasis, she slid down. She came and settled cross-legged next to her friend's head. Starscream brought his hand up, and wrapped it protectively around her.

Rachel got tired of the fighting, and yelled, "Be quiet!"

Both Sunstreaker and Ratchet looked at her, silent.

"Thank you. Now, I need to talk to Ratchet for a moment. _Alone_," she said. Ratchet picked her up, and walked into his office. He shut the door, and sat down.

"Ratchet…how many of the…bodies…do you have?" she asked hesitantly.

"…Not many, I'm afraid. Most of the casualties…" He shook his head. "They were never seen again. We couldn't even have a recon mission, with the heightened Decepticon activity. Why the interest, though?"

"I-I just have a feeling…that some of them aren't dead. Remember before the Decepticons too control? If they had captured an Autobot, we'd almost instantly be told about a ransom. This time, the Decepticons don't know where we are. They _can't_ contact us about a ransom. What if they're just holding the other Autobots captive, waiting for us to make a move?

"You mentioned 'heightened Decepticon activity.' What if that was daring us to try and get them back? It all makes sense, really. We need to have a recon mission." Rachel took a deep breath. "And…I volunteer to go."

There was a pause, then Ratchet exploded. "_What_?! No! There is _no_ way in all Cybertron that you are going on a recon mission to the Decepticon Headquarters!"

"Ratchet! Listen to me! I know the area…I've been off around there before. I can sneak around without being noticed, and you've said yourself I don't seem to have any recognizable energy signature! I can get in much smaller places than any Autobot! I'll get in, see if I can find the others, hack a few computers, and leave!" Rachel realized this might be her only real way to help.

The indecision was written clearly on the medicalbot's face. "Rachel…please. Don't do this. I know that you have your heart set… Please, it's too dangerous. We can't lose you."

Rachel gently stroked his hand. "I'll be back, I promise."

Ratchet sighed, and put her on the floor. "Come back soon," he whispered, so she couldn't hear.

Rachel quickly told the twins and Starscream her plan. Their reactions were just about the same as Ratchet's, but when they heard the medicalbot had agreed to it, they relented. She dashed away, running to her old room. Her things were there, as well as some of the personal items she had brought. She fingered an old picture of her and her father, then turned away.

Rachel gathered some clothes together, and slipped out. She managed to avoid any other confrontations, but didn't feel very good about herself. She kept to the overgrown plant life, staying away from the road, and invisible from the sky. She settled into a good pace, and made it to the enormous Decepticon base before nightfall.

The ominous building stood taller than anything she had ever seen before. It had at least twenty floors, each about three times a normal human floor's height. It had tall, curling spires and thick walls. The entire place looked reminiscent of a medieval castle, but far more menacing.

Rachel ran along the wall, keeping as low as she could. Eventually, she came to the small hole in the wall. She'd found it about a year ago, but had been almost certain that it would still be there. It was far too small to be found by a Decepticon.

Rachel wriggled inside, knowing this was the dangerous part now. She stayed in the little shelter the hole provided, waiting for a moment when she felt it was safe.

A Decepticon passed by, and she slipped out once he had gone away. Rachel moved quickly from cover to cover, making herself as invisible as possible whenever she was worried about someone passing by. When she found a computer terminal, she quickly hacked into it.

Her current position was right above the cellblock. She memorized the map, and hurriedly closed the terminal down. Rachel searched the hallway, until she found a ventilation shaft. She went inside, and walked through it until she was certain she was in the cellblock.

Rachel ran to a grate, and peered through. She could see the glow of Energon bars, and felt her heart soar. She waited for a little, though, and heard a guard. The guard sneered something in Cybertronian, but there was no reply.

She almost jumped when she heard him leave. She slipped through the grate, and dropped onto a small console, breaking her fall with a little roll.

Rachel let out a scream. "Ironhide!" She scrambled to the floor, and ran over to the cell. "Oh Ironhide! I _knew_ it! I knew you weren't dead!"

The big black mech raised his head weakly. "Ray? _Primus_, it's good to see you." His voice was tired and crackly. Rachel was small enough to slip between the bars, so she did. She went over to where he lay, and Ironhide reached a hand down, lifting her up onto the small bed.

"Ironhide, I'm going to get you out of here," she said, fighting back tears at the state of her friend.

"Ray…go see Sideswipe…he's not doing so well. He fought back when we found out that…we were dead," Ironhide forced out.

Rachel nodded, and he let her down. She slipped out, and looked to the side. In a cell further down was a crumpled red figure. She ran to him, and slipped between the bars. "Sideswipe!" she yelled. She knelt beside his head, and rested a gentle hand on his cheek.

"Oh Sides…what happened?" she asked in a whisper.

The red Lamborghini stirred slightly, but otherwise was nonresponsive.

"You have to be ok, Sides! Sunny…he can barely take it. He thinks you're dead…he won't talk to any of the Autobots, and he barely will talk to me! You have to get up…you have to," she pleaded.

Sideswipe groaned, and opened his optics. "Uhh…Ray? What're you doing here?" he asked, voice crackling terribly.

"Sideswipe!" She hugged him as best she could. "I have to get the Autobots to come here, I _have_ to! Sunny thinks you're dead! He's so upset… You need to stay alive until I can tell him and the Autobots, and they can come rescue you!"

"Ray…they can't come. I don't want them to get killed trying to save us." Sideswipe's optics grew moist as he spoke.

"But… Then come with me! You and Ironhide, and-"

"Ironhide's still here? I thought…they got rid of him."

"No! He's still here. And…what about Hound and Mirage?" Rachel asked nervously.

"In a different cellblock. I think the humans are here somewhere, but…I don't know if they're still living," Sideswipe replied. His voice grew stronger as he spoke.

"Ok." Rachel took a deep breath, keeping the tears out of her eyes. "But right now…you need to get out. I can deactivate the Energon bars, and then we can slip out. I got in here through the ventilation system…I think you and Ironhide could fit. It's huge in there.

"Sideswipe, this might actually work." Her eyes blazed with passion.

"Maybe…" He stopped as footsteps came from outside the door. "Rachel, hide!" he hissed. Rachel ran, and hid behind a leg of the bed.

From her vantage point, she could see Sideswipe get yanked up. She couldn't understand what was being said, but by the way her friend suddenly trembled she could tell it wasn't good.

Rachel dashed to Ironhide once the Decepticon had left. "Ironhide, I have to contact the Autobots!" she yelped.

"I know."

"What was that Decepticon saying?" she asked frantically, on her way out.

"…He was telling Sideswipe he was gonna kill him," Ironhide answered sadly.

"_NO_! I won't let that happen!" Rachel screamed.

Rachel didn't know how she got to a comm link station; she just knew she needed to get in contact with Sunstreaker.

She established a weak link, and cried, "Sunny! Get your aft to the Decepticon base! They're going to kill Sideswipe!"

"Sides is _alive_?" he yelped, voice almost comically high.

"Not for long, unless you get yourself over here now!"

"They better not touch him," he growled, before terminating the link.

Rachel wasn't exactly sure what to do now. She thought for at least two minutes, before deciding to open the front door wide for the angry golden yellow Lamborghini. She ran to the front, and got there just as a warning alarm blared. She clambered up to the door controls, and opened the huge doors.

In the sky, a jet appeared, with a yellow figure standing on it. The shapes drew closer, defining into Sunstreaker standing on the back of a transformed Starscream.

Starscream dove, and flew through the entrance. Sunstreaker jumped off, attacking the nearest Decepticon. Rachel averted her eyes from the slaughter.

Starscream picked her up, and held her close. He wielded a blaster in his other hand, fighting off the stragglers. Rachel suspected that the Decepticons weren't dead, only mangled practically beyond repair.

Sunstreaker led the way, somehow knowing where to go. His strides were long, and powerful, and they made good time.

Sideswipe was chained to a wall, head hanging limply.

"_Sideswipe_!" Sunstreaker roared. Shockwave, the only Decepticon in the room, looked over at him. His blaster was still targeted at the red Lamborghini twin. "Don't come any closer, Autobot," he said darkly, "Or he will die."

Sunstreaker ignored him, moving closer. Starscream grabbed his shoulder, though, and held him back. "L-listen to himm, Sunsstreaker. H-he isn't lyying," he said, carefully choosing his words. Sunstreaker shot him a glare, but stayed put.

"What do you want with him, Shockwave?" Rachel called.

"His life."

Rachel frowned, and looked down for a moment. When she looked up, her eyes were blazing. "I-If I were to take his place…would you let him live?" she asked

"Until we next met," Shockwave answered coldly.

"Starscream, put me down," she ordered.

"What?" he and Sunstreaker cried in unison.

"You heard us: I'm taking Sideswipe's place." She patted the Seeker's cheek. "You're my best friend Starscream…do this one last thing for me," she pleaded. Starscream stared sadly at her, but resignedly placed his friend on the ground.

Rachel stood defiantly by his leg. "Let Sideswipe go first, Shockwave," she ordered. The purple Decepticon shook his head, but took the chains off. Sunstreaker rushed over, and caught his brother before he fell to the ground.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel stepped closer to Shockwave. "I'm ready," she said quietly, voice shaking dangerously. _I won't cry_, she thought determinedly. _I won't break down in front of this monster._

Shockwave raised his blaster, and fired the fatal shot. Rachel heard a faint cry from Starscream, but she couldn't make it out. The blast rushed towards her, and she had a sudden vision of her mangled body, and her friends mourning her death. She saw her father laughing, throwing out all her things, and getting rid of all the remaining pictures of her.

Then everything went black.

* * *

**_Woo! I'm on a roll, here! -I say this since I started this last night really, really late, and fnished it quicker than any chapter I've ever done before!- Also, no killing me. The story is from Rachel's POV so...let your mind wander, and think of possibilities until chapter three, where a lot is explained. And I also should be updating _Transformers: The Secret_ sometime tonight. I lost the first bit I had started, which is why it's taken me so long to get another chapter up there._**

**_Anyways, R&R pweeze! It makes me write faster._**


	3. The Aftermath: Sunstreaker

_**Everlasting Darkness-Chapter Three**_

_**I'm putting this in 1**__**st**__** person (Sunstreaker) because the next couple of chapters will be 1**__**st**__** person descriptions of what happened. And for the record, I thought of this BEFORE hearing anything about **_**Vantage Point**_**. Don't blame me for not watching enough TV. ;)**_

The blast rushed towards Rachel, and everything slowed down for a moment. I could see her clearly, eyes shut lightly, arms at her sides. She was completely calm about death.

I watched as the blast hit the ground, and then looked away. I didn't want to see my friend—what was left of her, anyway. I focused on what she'd accomplished: I had my brother back. I had my brother, but I'd lost my sister. I heard Starscream's cry of protest, and looked over at him.

I'd never thought about why Rachel'd been hanging around him. She wasn't a bad judge of character, so obviously there were _some_ redeeming qualities about him. One was glaringly obvious: he cared about her. He looked really upset, glaring at Shockwave like he'd pull him apart, circuit by circuit.

Come to think about it, I wanted to do the exact same thing. But I had Sides to worry about. I knew he needed to get back to the base, and fast. I left with Starscream at my heels, but not without treating Shockwave to my darkest glare.

"Hey, Sunny…" said Sides weakly, poking my arm. At least _some_ of his CPU was working.

"Yeah?"

"Ironhide's in the cells." Something was definitely wrong with him. He'd never say 'Ironhide' just as it was.

I nodded once, feeling like I could care less about him. Rachel was dead, Sides looked like he was going to follow her, and Starscream had gone into this really annoying silence and was glaring at the floor. I couldn't help but think that I was the only sane one there.

Suddenly a foreign stream of data filled my CPU, and I struggled to hold it out.

"It'sss me," muttered Starscream, kicking a fallen Decepticon.

The blatant violence bothered me. I was all for kicking 'Con aft, but he'd never seemed like the random-violence kind of mech, 'Con or not. _Depression_, Rachel had said, _is just a…a manifestation of extreme sadness. People get depressed when they lose someone they really care about, or when something really bad happens in their life. I knew lots of kids at school that got depressed when their parents got divorced, or when their best friend moved away._

I felt a sharp jab in my spark when I thought of Rachel, but I understood what was going on. Starscream was _depressed_. I felt like I could be too, but I wasn't letting myself get too upset.

The data stream filled my CPU, and I realized it was a map of the base. I marked where the three cellblocks were, and then turned towards the nearest one.

The entire process took way too long. We found Ironhide, but the other cellblocks were deserted. Sideswipe insisted on checking each one, saying something about how Rachel would've done the same. I agreed with him, but that didn't make it any easier to see him slipping further and further away, and to see Starscream becoming more and more depressed—somehow, the Decepticon had gained a little pity, although most of it went to Sides.

Eventually we started off towards the base. I had to admit: Ironhide was showing a lot of…stamina, as Rachel would've said. _Slag_, I remember thinking. I couldn't quit thinking about her.

Anyway, he was walking without any help, despite the twisted, mutilated metal on his ankle. I didn't want to think of what the Hatchet would say when we turned up.

And suddenly, I felt—no, knew that I'd left something behind. I stopped dead: I couldn't move forward even if I wanted to. I didn't know why, but I felt like we were leaving Rachel behind. There couldn't have been anything left of her, but…

I found myself torn between running back into the 'Con base, or going on to our base.

Sideswipe guessed what I was thinking. "She's…gone," he said quietly, looking as though he might get depressed as well.

I nodded, making my decision. I had to get back to our base and make sure Sides was ok. I could think about Rachel later, as much as I didn't want to.

The reaction back at the base was exactly what I thought it'd be: everyone was stuck between sadness about Rachel and happiness about Sides and Ironhide. The Hatchet shut me out of the medbay—go figure—so I retreated to mine and Sides' room. It was really nice to think of it as 'our' room again.

Of course, Rachel kept haunting my CPU. Things she'd said kept popping up.

'_I sometimes think about the stars.'_

'_The stars? Why the stars? They're just balls of gas.'_

'_I know, but I always wonder what one looks like up close. I mean, what it would look like if I wouldn't get blinded by it.'_

I sighed. She got her wish. She gets to see stars up close all the time now, and not worry about anything.

"Sunstreaker?"

Slag. What did Bumblebee want? "Yeah?" Hmm. I couldn't think of anything else to say. I hated to admit it, but I felt bad for the little bot. He hadn't gotten anything back from the 'Cons: he'd just lost a friend.

"Ratchet sent me," he said, sounding like he thought I'd attack him.

"Is Sides ok?" I asked, feeling my spark jump.

He shrugged. "He didn't say."

I pushed past him, sprinting to the medbay. I hunted with my spark bond, but Sides wasn't there. _Primus_…don't let it be…

Slag that medic; he was just calmly working on my brother, no trace of anything serious in his faceplates.

"Sunstreaker, I need you to go back to the Decepticon base," he said, turning to face me.

I gaped at him. "Why?" I needed to be here for Sides…I couldn't just _leave_…

"Because there's a friendly signal," he explained, giving me this _don't-argue-with-me_ look.

I narrowed my optics. "And why me?"

He sighed. "Because you're the only one available."

So I found myself driving back to the 'Con's base, furious with the Hatchet for making me do this. Besides, it made me think too much of Rachel. The 'Cons were still laying where they'd been before, and thank Primus, because I didn't feel like punching them. I would've, but I didn't feel like it.

I headed off towards the source, realizing with anger and shock that it was the room where Rachel'd… Now I was really angry. Not that the Hatchet knew, but still…

The room looked exactly like I remembered it. Except for one little (to most mechs) problem: the burned patch on the floor was gone. I remembered it being there, but it was gone. I looked around, but saw nothing. "Great," I muttered, not caring that nobody else was around.

"_Talking to yourself?"_ said a voice that I knew all too well.

I spun around, but she was nowhere to be seen. "I'm imagining things," I whispered, continuing my search.

"_I'm insulted. You'd think you were a schizophrenic before you thought it was me?"_

I didn't bother to wonder what a 'schizophrenic' was. All I cared about was the fact that I was hearing Rachel's voice. "You died," I said, but not very strongly.

"_I know."_ She sounded sad. _"But Sides is ok, and that's what matters."_

"Where's the Autobot?" I asked. "The Hatchet said there was one in here."

"_Autobot?"_ she repeated. _"All I see is you, Sunny. I haven't left this room, though."_

I frowned. "But…where did the signal come from, then?"

"_Signal? What signal?"_

"Where are you, Rachel?" I asked, ignoring her question.

"_You didn't answer my question. And to answer yours, I'm not here…but I'm also here. Does that make sense?"_

"No."

"_Oh. Well, I'm here with you, but not physically. Listen, you need to search beneath this room. I promise, you won't be disappointed."_

"What's down there?" I asked.

"_Look and you'll see."_ And she was gone. I felt like I'd lost her all over again.

I decided to follow her advice, and made my way downstairs. I didn't think Rachel would lie, but I didn't know where her voice had come from. Maybe she was a ghost, one of those human spirits. She'd told me about them.

Downstairs was definitely a secret area. The computers still beeped, and they were streaming data.

"Sunstreaker," said a cold voice.

I spun to face Shockwave, blaster in my hand. "Shockwave…"

He shook his faceless head. "Put that away," he said forcefully, leveling his own blaster.

"I'm gonna kill you," I said quietly, remembering Rachel.

"Not when I have _her_," he said coldly, pulling a small, glowing Energon ball out of his subspace.

I narrowed my optics. "You killed her," I snarled, ready to blast him.

"Not exactly. Look above you."

I risked a glance at the ceiling. There was a square panel with… With a burn mark on it. "You faked her death," I said, shocked.

Shockwave nodded, and he would've had a smug grin if he had a face. "Good guess. But I'm going to kill her now." And he made the mistake of pointing his blaster at the little ball.

I shot him around ten times in the face, knocking him flat on his back, and sending the little ball rolling away. He laughed, then. _Laughed_.

"She's not in there," he said, voice crackling with static. "She's long gone, Autobot. You'll never see her again."

"Where is she?" I snarled, putting the barrel of my blaster up to his head. "Tell me!"

Shockwave off-lined. I threw him back, retrieving the Energon ball to make sure. But he hadn't lied: Rachel wasn't there. "Slaggit," I growled, kicking the off-lined 'Con in the side. His optic was dull and cracked.

"_You got your revenge, Sunny,"_ said a quiet voice. _"He was lying the whole time, though. I'm right here."_

Her voice wasn't all around me, like before. It came from right behind me. I slowly turned around…

* * *

**_And here's the extremely evil cliffhanger you'll be dealing with for the next few chapters. I'm sorry for the long wait!! R&R please!_**

**_Allie (long-unseen authoress)_**


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